Meetings
by Blodigealach
Summary: The series of meetings that tied their bonds as one. Slight Tomoshipping. Past life.


The first time they met, Durbe was only 7 years old and he had a sword pointed to his throat. The one pointing it at him seemed no older than he was, with eyes as deep as the ocean and purple hair that fell to his shoulders. At that time they didn't understand each other's language and they were screaming at each other with different languages.

The purple haired boy was definitely threatening with that sword and Durbe feared for his life he just started screaming as he put both of his hand up to the air and shake his head furiously. He continuously apologized in his mother tongue until he eventually cried and the other boy put down his sword. He walked closer and patted Durbe's head as he said something in the language he couldn't understand.

When Durbe stopped crying, the boy was smiling gently at him and patted his own chest as he said, "Nasch!" Durbe just stared at him with a confused look, and the boy repeated what he did. "Nasch!" he said again, and Durbe thought he might be telling him his name. Durbe wiped the traces of tears off his face and mirrored the gesture. "Durbe," he said, and the purple haired boy grinned widely at him. He said something to him as he reached out his hand, and Durbe just took it instinctively. What he didn't expect was then Nasch brought his hand to his lips and kissed his knuckles. Durbe blushed furiously while the other boy was grinning once again.

A woman's voice called in the distance, and Nasch reacted to it. He quickly said something to Durbe and released his hand before turning around and running to the source of the voice. When Durbe couldn't see him anymore, he turned to Mach that was hiding behind a thick bush. "Let's go, Mach. We need to get home soon," he said as he petted his mane. Mach stood up and spread his wings, and Durbe quickly climbed onto him. He patted the Pegasus' side twice and off they went.

Soon enough, Nasch was back to where Durbe was. He found nothing but grasses and thick bushes and he was baffled. "I swear I told him to stay!" exclaimed Nasch as he turned to his parents and his younger sister Merag. Merag pouted at him disappointedly while both of his parents were smiling at him knowingly.

"You sure it's not yet another imagination of yours?" asked Merag mockingly, and Nasch felt even more annoyed. "I swear to Abyss there _was_ a boy with weird language here!" exclaimed Nasch and his mother pressed her finger to her mouth, gesturing Nasch to watch his language.

"Be careful when you're mentioning our god," warned his mother. Nasch sighed and apologized, and reluctantly followed them back to the castle. He was sure that the silver haired boy wasn't just his imagination. He was very sure, and he wasn't afraid to swear to both Abyss and Crystal Zero that the boy was real.

"Durbe," he whispered the name under his breath. He would always remember that name.

-/-

It was a sunny day, just like when they first met 2 years before. This time Nasch didn't have his sword with him and Durbe wasn't hiding his Pegasus. Durbe watched as Nasch's eyes glowed in excitement as he ran to him. "Durbe!" he called cheerfully. He didn't ask for the silver haired boy's permission as he crashed to him, wrapping both of his arms around him. He gave Durbe a tight hug before releasing him while still holding both of his shoulders. "Durbe!" he exclaimed happily again, and Durbe smiled widely to him. "Nasch!" he returned the greetings, and Nasch's grin went wider.

Nasch was talking so quickly Durbe still couldn't understand what he said despite spending time looking for the language and learning it with the very little sources he had. All he could catch were 'father', 'mother', 'god', 'believe', 'you', 'silver', and he couldn't really mash them up together into a coherent sentence. Meanwhile, Nasch was talking nonstop as if Durbe could understand everything.

The purple haired boy's attention then turned to the Pegasus. He cautiously reached out his hand and Mach nudged his palm with his nose. "He likes you," Durbe said in his mother language, and Nasch looked at him with a confused look, clearly not understanding a single word Durbe said. The silver haired boy sighed and smiled, not really expecting that Nasch would ever understand his language.

"His name is Mach," said Durbe again, and this time Nasch seemed to understand. "Mach," Nasch called as he gently stroked the Pegasus' muzzle. Suddenly Durbe got an idea. It was as crazy as how Nasch pointed a sword to his throat in their first meeting, but it was also the only interesting thing Durbe could think of at that moment.

"Nasch," Durbe called as he poked the purple haired boy's shoulder. Nasch looked at him with a questioning look. "You," Durbe pointed at Nasch, "Me," he pointed at himself, "ride on Mach," he patted Mach's back. Nasch stared at him with a blank expression and Durbe repeated the gesture once again. Nasch stepped back with a nervous smile as he shook his head. He was saying something again but the only thing Durbe could understand was 'no'.

"It will be okay, trust me," Durbe said again as he reached out his hand. Nasch stared at Durbe's hand, then to Durbe, then to Mach, then to Durbe's hand again. Slowly, he brought his hand up and clasped his fingers around Durbe's hand. Durbe smiled and brought Nasch's hand to his lips, kissing the knuckles gently.

He then led Nasch to Mach and helped him to get on. After he was sure that Nasch wouldn't fall right away, he hopped on easily. He reached out for Nasch's arms and circled them around his own waist. Nasch clung to him tightly, and he couldn't help but chuckle at the simple act. He then patted Mach's side twice and the Pegasus began to move.

He was walking, and then he was running, and soon enough he spread his wide wings and brought the two boys flying on his back. Durbe was laughing while Nasch was screaming and swearing in his mother language. His grip around Durbe's waist tightened, and Durbe gently stroke his arm to calm him down a little. After flying for a while, Nasch stopped screaming and his grip loosened.

"Beautiful," Nasch breathed, and Durbe whipped his head to the boy. It was said in his language. Nasch looked at him and he grinned. "Durbe, beautiful," Nasch said again, and Durbe roughly conclude that it might be the only word in his language Nasch understood.

"You're also beautiful, Nasch," replied Durbe. Nasch was still grinning, and Durbe returned the smile before turning back to see what's in front of them. After flying for a while, Durbe commanded Mach to land back to where they were. Nasch was obviously protesting as they got closer to the land, but he didn't struggle. He released Durbe and let him hopped down and helped him to get down. Durbe chuckled as Nasch staggered to stand straight again, and the purple haired boy pouted. He protested to Durbe but the silver haired boy didn't understand a single word he said. He mentally told himself that he needed to learn more.

"I have to go home now," said Durbe after he was sure that Nasch could stand straight without his help. He got on to Mach again and Nasch understood the whole situation. "See you later, Nasch," said Durbe as he patted Mach's side twice.

"See you later, Durbe!" replied Nasch, mimicking Durbe's words. Durbe smiled widely at him and took off.

Nasch stood still and watched for them until they were just a little spot in the sky and disappeared to the horizon. He turned around and slowly walked back to his castle. "I have to study more of his language," he murmured to himself.

-/-

A year passed and this time both of them were wearing their full armor as the ruling kings they served were shaking their hands as they talked with a translator on their sides. Blue met grey and they just smiled at each other, knowing that it would be unsightly to act like the boys they were while in their kings' presence. Both kings looked at the boys and they knew what they actually wanted and dismissed both of them. The boys stared in disbelief at their kings and they debated that they were needed by the kings' sides but the kings could see through their words and told them that boys needed to play every once in a while. And so they dismissed themselves and met at where they usually met.

"I never expect to meet you again this soon, Durbe," said Nasch in Durbe's mother language, and he watched as the boy stared at him in disbelief. "I'm studying your language, so we can understand each other," he added as he beamed at Durbe.

"I, too, am learning your language so we can talk more easily," replied Durbe in Nasch's mother language, and this time it was Nasch who stared at Durbe in disbelief. They stared at each other, and suddenly they just burst into a laugh. They were laughing until tears streams out and their voices just died out that they had to use weird gestures and it just made their stomach hurt from the excessive laughing so they just clutched their stomach but they couldn't stop laughing.

"Well, this is weird," said Nasch eventually, back in his mother language. Both he and Durbe were still smiling widely like a pair of idiots. "If now I understand your language and you understand my language, in what language should we talk?" he asked. Durbe tapped his fingers to his chin, thinking of any solution.

"Since this is your country, I suppose I shall talk in your language. But if there's anything you want to tell me privately we can talk in my language," answered Durbe. Nasch hummed and nodded in agreement.

"You're smart for someone of your age," commented Nasch, and Durbe chuckled. "Do you even know how old I am?" he asked and Nasch shook his head, not even trying to take a guess or anything. Durbe smiled and said, "I'm 10 years old, to be honest. But I'm serving the king as his knight; it's only natural that I have to learn many things."

"I thought you were a prince just like me, since you came here with the king," commented Nasch and Durbe widened his eyes in surprise. Technically he wasn't part of their kingdom and there was no written rule that said Durbe should be more respectful to Nasch, but he did feel uneasy for acting so carefree around him. Durbe was shifting around, confused in how he should react, and Nasch could see it clearly.

"What, do you suddenly think you need to be more respectful to me? There's no need in that. We're friends, aren't we?" added Nasch as he laughed and patted Durbe's shoulder reassuringly. Durbe looked at him in the eyes, and he could tell that Nasch wasn't joking. _He will be a good king when the time comes_, Durbe thought idly.

"Friends?" asked Nasch as he held out his hand to Durbe, and Durbe took it without hesitation. "Friends," replied Durbe. Nasch beamed and Durbe returned it.

"Now, would you mind to take me on a ride on Mach again? I promise I won't freak out like the first time," asked Nasch. Durbe grinned and nodded at the request.

"I would always love to take a friend on a ride. Come on, Mach," replied Durbe as he called for his Pegasus. He stroked his mane as he whispered that he'd want to take Nasch for a ride, and when he turned back to Nasch the boy was stripping himself off his armors. For some reasons, Durbe blushed furiously.

"W-what are you doing?" exclaimed Durbe. Nasch looked back at him with a confused look, putting down his gauntlets on the pile of his armors. He was left with the fishnet top and the fabric skirt-like bottom.

"The two of us plus the armors will be too heavy for Mach, won't it? I figure if we leave our armors here he can take us easier. I swear there are no thieves here, so it's safe," replied Nasch nonchalantly. Durbe bit his lips. It wasn't like he was stripping himself naked if he took off his armors, and Mach would probably be grateful for reducing the weight he had to bear. After considering it for a while, he also stripped himself off his armors, leaving him with a simple tunic and trousers.

"Be careful not to fall then; there won't be any armor protecting you if you do," said Durbe as he helped Nasch getting on Mach. Nasch laughed. "Just make sure to catch me if I fall then," he replied, and Durbe couldn't help but smile.

-/-

It was stormy that night and his flight with Mach wasn't an easy one. He dropped by the horse stall to let Mach rest there before rushing to the main hall. It had been 3 years since their last meeting and surely he didn't want _this_ to be the reason of their meeting. And yet everything happened too fast and Durbe couldn't just sit around when the news reached his kingdom. He didn't even bother to tell his king that he went to the United Lands of Poseidon. He just knew that Nasch needed him immediately.

The guards already knew him from Nasch, and the servants guided him to the throne room. And there he was, the boy who hadn't even hit his adulthood yet, sitting on the throne that was once his father's. It was obvious that he had just been crying, and that he forced himself to look presentable to greet Durbe's arrival. The purple haired boy smiled weakly at him, and it hurt Durbe so much to see him like that. He dismissed the servants and the guards, telling them that he wanted some privacy. Only after they were all gone did Nasch stood up from his throne and walked to Durbe.

"It's been a while, my friend," he greeted with a shaky voice and forced smile. He reached out his hand and Durbe took it in his own. The knight then kneeled down and kissed the back of his fingers, lovingly and respectfully.

"My king," he breathed as he raised his head to meet Nasch's sight. The young king was in tears again, and he fell to his knees as he felt the weight of the sorrow crashing down again. Durbe caught him in his arms, and he let Nasch cried and screamed as he clung to Durbe as if the knight was the only thing that prevented him from falling into the bottomless pit.

Durbe held him tight as he whispered comforting words. He gently stroked the strands of purple. As he tried to comfort him, he idly thought about how beautiful Nasch's crying face was, but he quickly shook the thought out of his head. No matter how beautiful it was he didn't want to see Nasch crying like that again. Silently, he vowed to himself to be Nasch's knight. He vowed to protect Nasch no matter what. No matter how little the time they actually spent together, he just knew that his fate was with Nasch.

-/-

Durbe visited more often and Nasch didn't mind it at all. At some days he would even waited for the knight to come, and greeted him as an old friend. He got to know Merag as well. He got close to her as friends, but their bond wasn't as deep as his bond with Nasch. They would spend private time together, learning about new things and discussing about politics and ideals.

By the end of the day, Nasch would ask Durbe to take him on a ride and Durbe would comply. There were times when Nasch tried teaching Durbe how to swim but he eventually gave up since Durbe kept on drowning. In some of the days Durbe would ride on Mach as he watched Nasch swimming on the open ocean. At other times they would race with Nasch riding a normal horse while Mach wasn't allowed to fly. One time Nasch asked if it's possible to mate Mach with one of his horses to get a Pegasus like him. Mach seemed to disagree at the thought and the two of them would laugh at his reaction.

The peaceful days passed, only to be crushed so suddenly. The bad omen came in the form of a twisted king from a faraway kingdom, Vector. Durbe went as soon as he heard the news of the army moving to where Nasch's kingdom was, but this time he went to ask for permission and blessings from his king before departing. "Come home safe. Return immediately after the war is over. Remember, you are still serving as my knight," ordered the king. Durbe kneeled and vowed to follow the orders, and he left as soon as the king dismissed him.

The first battle was brutal, and it cost Nasch his sister. He wasn't crying, as if his tears had dried up before it even flowed. "I will fight," Nasch declared. There was burning flame of rage behind the deep cold blue eyes, and Durbe was concerned. The young king turned to the knight, silently asking if he would join him in that war.

"My friend," he said softly in his mother tongue, something he always did when he wanted Nasch to be the only one to know his words, "I will always follow you, even to the depths of hell." Nasch offered him a weak smile, and Durbe returned the smile in understanding.

"You are a noble man, hell is not your place. I will personally throw you back up to heaven if you dare to follow me down," replied Nasch, and Durbe could only smile in reply.

-/-

The war ended, but it was a sour end. Both parties lost their soldiers and their kings were nowhere to be found. Durbe had tried searching for Nasch but no avail. He was wounded and exhausted and despaired, and yet he still remembered the vow to his king. He had to return. Even though he was still unsuccessful in finding Nasch, he had to return to his kingdom. With a heavy heart he got on Mach, stroking his mane gently before he patted his side twice, going back to his kingdom although he was broken and bruised.

What welcomed him as he set his feet back to his kingdom was the betrayal of his comrades. His words didn't reach them, and his injuries from the earlier war didn't make him last too long. As he slowly slipped into the darkness, he knew that hell would be his next destination. He had failed Nasch, his friend to whom he vowed his life. He had also failed his king, the one whom he vowed his loyalty. There was also Mach, his very first friend, and he failed him too. Regret filled his heart as he closed his eyes, giving up to the cold death.


End file.
